A youth football field in Titusville will be expanded under a pending agreement between the city and UAB officials.

University of Alabama at Birmingham officials today met with Birmingham's Park and Recreation Board and promised an agreement by the end of the week allowing the youth program to use property owned by the UAB Education Foundation. The land borders the existing Memorial Park.

"That's something that should not be a problem whatsoever," said Chris Clifford, associate vice president for business services. "We will work out something as soon a possible."

The contract is a long-standing agreement between the city and the university to support its athletics program. Smitherman said she supports the agreement, but needed leverage as she sought to use the lot owned by UAB.

Smitherman restated her position before the park board today.

"That park is a gateway for Titusville and and much of the western community," she said. "We really need that parcel of land."

Smitherman said she had tried unsuccessfully since February to meet with university officials about the lot in Titusville.